The Ultimate Guide to Sun-Protective Clothing: Stay Safe Under the Sun

A safe, easy way to block the rays Your clothing doesn’t just look great. It also absorbs or blocks harmful UV radiation and remains one of the most effective forms of protection from the sun, skin cancer.

What’s more, sun protective clothing is the easiest way to stay safe; unlike sunscreen, you never need to reapply!

UPF: What It Is and Why Its Important

The Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) indicates how much UV radiation (UVB and UVA) a fabric can reach your skin. For example, a UPF 50 fabric blocks 98% of sunlight and allows 1% (50/1) to penetrate, significantly reducing your risk of exposure.

What You Need to Know: A fabric must have a UPF of 50 to qualify for the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Recommended Seal. A UPF of 30 to 49 provides very good protection, while a UPF of 50+ is just as good.

What is main difference between UPF and SPF?

UPF measures the amount of UV radiation that can penetrate a fabric and reach your skin. Sun protection factor (SPF) is determined by how long it takes for skin exposed to UV rays to turn red; if you get a sunburn after 20 minutes, an SPF 15 sunscreen will protect your skin 15 times as much if used correctly.

Another important distinction: UPF measures both UVB and UVA rays, while SPF measures only UVB.

What makes clothing sun-proof?

Yes, the UPF 50+ Lightweight Athletic Jacket clothing can protect you from the sun, but not all fabrics and colors offer equal protection. Luckily, you have plenty of options. Keep these factors in mind when shopping for clothing that will effectively protect you from harmful rays:

Color: Dark or bright colors prevent UV rays from reaching your skin by absorbing them instead of letting them penetrate. That's why these colors offer better protection than lighter colors.

Construction: Tightly woven fabrics, such as denim, canvas, wool, or synthetics, are more protective than sheer, thin, or loose fabrics. Check a fabric's sun safety by holding it up to the light. If you can see through it, UV radiation can easily penetrate fabrics and reach your skin.

Content: The composition of the fabric is very important. Unbleached cotton contains natural lignin, which acts as a UV absorber. Shiny polyester and even lightweight satin silk offer a high degree of protection because they reflect radiation. High-tech fabrics treated with chemical UV absorbers or dyes prevent some penetration of UV rays.

Fit: It is best to wear loose-fitting clothing. Tight clothing stretches and reduces the level of protection provided because the fibers pull away from each other and allow more UV rays to pass through.

UPF: Some clothing manufacturers offer UPF labels that indicate exactly how much of the sun's rays a garment can block. Whenever you shop, look for our Recommended seal.

Coverage: The more skin your clothing covers, the better your protection. Opt for long-sleeved shirts and long pants or skirts whenever possible.

Activity: Regardless of the UPF value, if your clothing is stretched or wet, it loses some of its protective power and becomes more transparent, exposing your skin to more UV rays.

Not all clothing protects equally

A white T-shirt only provides modest sun protection, with a UPF of about 7. When that T-shirt gets wet, it only provides a UPF of 3!

A dark, long-sleeved denim shirt provides a UPF of about 1,700; essentially, total sun protection.

Start with a hat

Prevent wrinkles and skin cancer and look cool on the beach by wearing a nice hat whenever you go outside. Hats are the perfect complement to UV-filtering sunglasses and broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect your face and eyes.

Here are the dos and dons of a sun hat:

Wide Brim

The best sun hats have brims of at least three inches to cover the face, scalp, neck, shoulders, and upper back, as well as easily overlooked areas like the tops of the ears and behind the neck.

Tight Fit

Look for a hat with a tightly woven weave, rather than a straw hat with a loose structure that lets UV rays through.

Why Hats Are a Must

Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas account for about 90% of all skin cancers and often appear on the head and neck. Hats help protect your face, scalp, and neck.